Tales of love in and around my life, and a bit of the antics my dogs share with me. This should be fun!

Friday, July 18, 2008

Equality? Really?

Yesterday I received our certified copy of our Marriage Certificate. It is what I need if I want to, and I want to, change my last name to my wife's. This is where I think the fallacy of CA saying lesbian and gay couples can marry is going to play out. While it gives the 'appearance' of making us equal... it is only in CA eyes....

To change my name, technically, in CA, I can just simply begin using my wife's last name (or any name I choose really), but in the post 9/11 era, that isn't recommended. What is recommended is to go through the legal hoops to do it. When one gets married, that Marriage Certificate is your key. You begin with Social Security and 'trickle down' from there. Once the SS recognizes the name change, you can go to DMV and make the change. Then from DMV you can go anywhere else you need to make the change happen and do it. Sounds simple, doesn't it? Not that it isn't work or time consuming, but it is a relatively simple non court involving process. One I am *hoping* will work for me.

Alas, I fear that it won't. The SSA is federal. And to the federal government, our marriage doesn't exist. Which means they can (and I suppose probably will) return my properly filled out paperwork and say "nope, ain't gonna happen."

And so I may get to spend money in court fees and newspaper ads, as well as the time going to court to make the change happen.